National Disgrace

Sir,
Returning to the UK in October 1987 for the first time since December 1986, I was horrified by two developments on the motorways.

The first was the cones— the gags on Spitting Image were true! From Dover to Stockport they lined the road, closed lanes and switched us onto the right-hand carriageway.

Which brings me to the second horror: complete ignorance of lane discipline. I use the word ignorance philanthropically, not wishing to believe that drivers would knowingly refuse to use the two left lanes, but prefer to queue up, rarely more than ten yards apart, at speeds of 60-80 mph on the outer lane!

On several occasions I could occupy the middle lane and keep pace with the” fast lane” traffic, passing vehicles in the left lane, whilst maintaining a gap of a quarter to half a mile between myself and the next vehicle!

I am sure drivers in England must be used, and in some cases inured, to this. I live and work in West Germany, and have driven at peak traffic periods here, in France, Spain and Italy, but have never felt as threatened as on English motorways.

Sad to say, it was with great relief that I crossed into West Germany and relaxed, concentrating on driving. I hate knocking things British, but our motorways and standards of driving thereon are a national disgrace.

RJ Wade, Sennelager, West Germany